The best place to find a video game strategy guide depends on the exact game, platform, and edition you’re playing. For a focused walkthrough or older-game reference, start with GameFAQs; for browsable, wiki-style coverage, try StrategyWiki or Game8; and for curated walkthrough hubs, check GamesRadar+. Prima Games is a substantial archive of official guides for older titles, not a source to assume has a guide for every new release. Treat the eight options below as places to check—not a measured ranking—and verify each guide’s version and update date before relying on it.
How to choose a strategy guide site
Search for the exact game alongside a specific need, such as “game name walkthrough,” “game name collectibles map,” or “game name strategy guide.” Then confirm that the result matches your platform and edition. A page for an original release may not match a remaster, a different console version, or DLC.
- Check freshness and version: Look for the guide’s update date, version notes, and any mention of patches or edition differences. Age alone does not make a guide useless, but old instructions may not fit a revised game.
- Match the format to the problem: A written route is useful for a focused walkthrough; maps and checklists help with collectibles; a wiki can make it easier to jump between bosses, items, and locations. For a puzzle or route that is hard to visualize, a video walkthrough may be clearer.
- Consider who maintains it: The options include contributor-submitted FAQs, collaborative wikis, editorial guide hubs, and an archive of publisher-produced guides. That affects how material is organized and what to check, but it does not by itself establish whether a particular page is complete or accurate.
Eight places to look for video game strategy guides
1. GameFAQs — focused walkthroughs, FAQs, and maps
GameFAQs game pages can host full-game walkthroughs, in-depth guides, maps, charts, and FAQs. Individual guides show contributor names and version or date information, though the available material differs by title. It is a useful place to look for a specific guide file or an older game’s reference material. Check the listed platform and guide date: a submission may be platform-specific or no longer reflect a later release. See the Final Fantasy VIII FAQ and guide listings.
2. StrategyWiki — collaborative, topic-organized coverage
StrategyWiki describes itself as a collaborative, freely licensed strategy-guide and walkthrough wiki. Its stated scope includes action, adventure, fighting, FPS, puzzle, racing, RPG, RTS, sports, and strategy games. Its wiki format suits readers who want to browse a game by topic rather than follow one long file. Coverage and completeness still depend on the particular game page. Browse StrategyWiki.
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3. Game8 — structured game wikis and walkthrough sections
Game8’s game pages organize material into sections such as walkthroughs, maps and locations, tips, items, enemies, and bosses. The site says popular and new game pages are updated frequently, but that does not establish the freshness of every guide. Check the timestamp and make sure the page covers your game’s edition. Browse Game8’s games and walkthrough hub.
4. GamesRadar+ — editorial walkthrough and guide hubs
GamesRadar+ maintains a walkthrough hub as well as a broader Games Guides section. Its walkthrough listings include both newer and older entries, so check the date and game version on the specific page before using a route for a recent or updated release. Browse GamesRadar+ walkthroughs.
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5. Prima Games — archive of official guides
Prima Games’ archive page says it contains 251 official guides and 25,589,130 words of strategy; it lists the guides’ print years as 2007–2018. These are figures claimed by the archive page, accessed in 2026, not independently audited totals. Prima describes the collection as restored from its former eGuides store, with walkthroughs, maps, collectible checklists, and boss tactics. Use it for a supported older title, and treat it as an archive rather than a general source for current releases. Browse the Prima Games archive.
6. IGN — a familiar guide destination to check game by game
IGN is a familiar name for players looking for game guides, but the evidence available here does not establish current guide coverage or quality across its games. Search for the exact title and inspect the resulting page’s date, edition, and scope before relying on it; don’t assume a complete guide exists for every game.
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7. Fandom game wikis — check the individual wiki’s sourcing
Fandom hosts many unofficial game wikis, making it a possible place to look for game-specific walkthroughs and reference pages. The quality, coverage, and maintenance of those wikis vary. Check the page’s citations, revision or update history, and version match rather than treating a wiki-farm listing as proof that a particular guide is current.
8. YouTube — visual walkthroughs for routes and puzzles
A video can be easier to follow when a puzzle, platforming sequence, or route depends on what appears on screen. Search for the exact game and task, then check the upload date and game version. A video walkthrough is not automatically comprehensive: confirm that it covers the step you need rather than only a particular section or playthrough.
Which guide format should you try first?
| What you need | Good starting point | What to verify |
|---|---|---|
| A focused written walkthrough, FAQ, map, or chart | GameFAQs | Contributor, guide date or version, platform, and coverage of the part you need |
| Topic-by-topic wiki browsing | StrategyWiki or Game8 | Completeness, page update date, and whether the game edition matches |
| An editorial walkthrough listing | GamesRadar+ | Article date and game version |
| A publisher-produced guide for a supported older title | Prima Games archive | Whether the title is included and whether the archived guide matches your release |
| A game-specific page from a familiar publisher or wiki farm | IGN or a Fandom game wiki | Current coverage, citations or authorship, update history, and version |
| A route or puzzle that is easier to see | YouTube walkthroughs | Upload date, game version, and whether the video reaches the step you need |
Are printed video game strategy guides still available?
Printed guides remain a possible preference, but availability depends on the specific game and seller. Prima’s archive documents a historical print era of 2007–2018; it does not establish current stock or confirm that a printed guide exists for a particular release. Check the exact game, platform, edition, and seller listing before buying.
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